Mindfulness for a Happy Business

Mindfulness at work: esoteric ephemeral concept or relevant HR approach? As far as I am concerned, it is, without a doubt, an ideal to achieve.

To practice mindfulness at work is to be consciously vigilant, fully invested, acknowledge the loss of focus and be able to refocus. After consistent practice, we see that it becomes a know-how, a way of life.

Mindfulness techniques
There are many ways to be more aware at work and to be present in what we do, no matter its importance. Disable email alerts when performing an important task, or just schedule reminders to get back to the present moment.

Benefits for all
The introduction of this know-how has several advantages for a workspace where everything moves quickly and where stress levels can reach high peaks. This mindset allows the management team to be more genuine and employees to be more peaceful, while improving the culture and boosting productivity.

At CASACOM, we are pleased to be accompanied by Lucie-Anne Fabien, President of Metaconscience. Thanks to her, I came to understand the importance of mindfulness at work. Here are some benefits that caught my attention.

Emotionally intelligent management
Mindfulness practices are useful in developing emotional intelligence. A stressed manager tends to have a hard time stepping back and effectively managing their team, while a fully aware manager will become intrinsically closer to their emotions, more empathetic and open. They will also be able to get out of their comfort zone and break their own resistance to change. Google’s Mindfulness at Work program has demonstrated the direct impact of this approach on employee retention.

Beyond a happy employee
Happiness in the office is the goal, but does mindfulness help? Certainly! Fully conscious employees see an immediate effect on their creativity, productivity, and mental well-being, in addition to having a better decision-making capacity. Furthermore, a collective effort of mindfulness allows colleagues to share a common language, as well as signals to avoid slip-ups. For instance, we are able to help each other more efficiently to reduce our stress levels.

A company that radiates
A company that encourages its employees and managers to practice mindfulness will get a happier team that is more committed to achieving their goals. “And several companies have already quantified these results. The latest on the list is SAP, the IT giant, who has told at the Mindful Leadership Summit in Washington last November, to have received a 200% return on their investment, having seen a significant increase in the level of employee engagement, an increase of the index of confidence in the company’s leadership and a decrease in absenteeism”, reported Lucie-Anne Fabien.

If you’d like to find out more, reach out to Lucie-Anne or pick up David Rock’s book Your Brain at Work.